As May Bank Holiday draws near, we've got divine superstars, diverting art trails and daredevil blockbusters to ring in the spring.
Opening Acts
Four featured shows this week mean something for everyone!
Opera fans won’t want to miss the Oxford Student Opera Society’s production of Don Giovanni. After selling out its performance at St Peter’s Chapel, the opera is on Friday night at the sumptuous Sheldonian Theatre.
For a family show on Friday or Saturday, head to Pegasus Theatre and catch playwright Tabby Lamb’s new play Tuesday. The plot follows a brother and sister who bicker constantly and couldn’t be more different until they wake up one Tuesday having swapped bodies. It promises to be a funny, thoughtful, kid-friendly show about gender and growing up, for everyone ages 8+.
Saturday night also spells comedy at the Cornerstone Arts Centre, where an acting duo has undertaken the gargantuan task of parodying half a dozen beloved romcoms together. Their show, Six Chick Flicks looks like a loving, pacy send-up of the genre.
Finally, if you’re looking for a classic musical, then praise be! Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Jesus Christ Superstar is coming to the New Theatre. This reimagined production won (appropriately) Best Revival at the Oliver Awards in 2017, so head on down from Monday night onwards to see what the fuss is about!
Don Giovanni: Sheldonian Theatre. Fri May 3rd, 7.30pm. Tickets from £10.
Tuesday : Pegasus Theatre, Fri 3rd May at 6pm - Sat 4th of May, 11am/2pm. Tickets £12/standard (concessions available).
Six Chick Flicks: Cornerstone Arts Centre. Sat May 4th, 7.30pm. Tickets £23, concessions available.
Jesus Christ Superstar: New Theatre. Mon 6th May - Sat 11th May. 7.30 pm each night, with 2.30 matinees on Wed and Sat. Tickets from £13.
Oxfordshire Artweeks
We’re playing to the galleries this week as May 4th marks the beginning of the annual Oxfordshire Artweeks festival. Beginning in North and West Oxfordshire, the showcase of over 1000 artists and craftspeople will move to Oxford City the following week, before finishing in South Oxfordshire.
With every artistic discipline under the sun on display, including paint, printmaking, woodwork, textiles and many more, there’s never a better time to find incredible art on your doorstep. Have a look at our blog post for some highlights and further details about what to expect.
Oxfordshire Artweeks: various venues across North Oxfordshire (Sat 4th - Sun 12th May), Oxford City (Sat 11th - Sun 19th May) and South Oxfordshire (Sat 18th - Mon 27th May). All exhibits are free to visit.
Museum Marvels
This bank holiday is the perfect time for a trip to the museum and a trio of exhibitions are worth a visit to their respective venues this week. An award contender can be found at the Ashmolean right now. Pio Abad has been shortlisted for this year's Turner Prize for To Those Sitting in Darkness , which runs as part of the Ashmolean NOW exhibition series, new works inspired by the museum's collection.
The History of Science Museum is presenting the collection of Lewis Evans' timekeepers as part of About Time, with pieces taken from across the globe, while over at the North Wall you still have a chance to take in What Are You Wearing?: Conscious Fashion Choices for a Sustainable Future, with specially styled mannequins and naturally dyed textiles exploring how to ditch fast fashion and save the planet. Visitors are invited to contribute their own creative responses within the exhibition and online.
Alternatively if you’d prefer to be outdoors, head down to the Earth Trust for their Spring Festival, with farm animals to be met, farm games to take part in and crafts to entertain the young ones.
Pio Abad - To Those Sitting in Darkness: Ashmolean Museum, until Sun 8th Sep, Free.
About Time: History of Science Museum, until Fri 1st Sep, Free
What Are You Wearing?: North Wall Arts Centre, until Sat 4th May, Free
Spring Festival: The Earth Trust (Little Wittenham), Sat 4th, Sun 6th, Sat 11th & Sun 12th May, 10am to 4pm, £5-8
Fall Guys, Bodybuilders and Skywalkers
Blockbuster season ramps up this week with the release of The Fall Guy. Mixing romance, comedy, and action, the film follows a stunt actor as he tries to find a missing superstar. This looks the perfect post-Barbie project for Ryan Gosling, who is joined by the likes of Emily Blunt, Hannah Waddingham, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Stephanie Hsu, and Winston Duke.
Alternatively there's 80s set thriller, Love Lies Bleeding, the latest from director Rose Glass (Saint Maud). This A24 release sees Kristen Stewart's gym manager fall for Katy O'Brian's bodybuilder, just as her troublesome family bring their violent ways back into her life.
Maybe you'd prefer something a bit older? The Phantom Menace, the first of the Star Wars prequels, celebrates 25 years since its initial release and is back on our screens. And the Ultimate Picture Palace continue their 'food in films' season with Peter Greenaway's wonderfully titled, gorgeous and gory The Cook, The Thief, His Wife & Her Lover, featuring the likes of Helen Mirren, Michael Gambon and Ciarán Hinds - we recommend watching on an empty stomach.
And film fans may want to head down to Occultz: Oxford Comic, Cult and Zine Fair, which will feature independent artists as well as talks and workshops across the day, including with Oxford's own Cinema Under the Stairs.
The Fall Guy: Odeon George Street, Vue, Curzon Oxford
Love Lies Bleeding: Phoenix Picturehouse, Curzon Oxford, Vue
Star Wars - Episode 1: The Phantom Menace: Curzon Oxford, Odeon George Street, Vue, Phoenix Picturehouse, The Abbey Cinema (Abingdon)
The Cook, The Thief, His Wife & Her Lover : Ultimate Picture Palace
Occultz: Oxford Comic, Cult and Zine Fair: The Star, Sat 4th May, 10am to 4.30pm, £3 to 5
Evening Antics
Now that May Day has come and gone, let’s dig into the variety of other events this month has to offer. On Saturday night, head down to the New Club in Wheatley, for Jumpin' Jake Flash , a tribute to the music of The Rolling Stones and Blues Brothers by established Oxford musicians Mudslide Morris and the Revelators.
On Sunday, United Wrestling hosts Day 15: End of Days , a night of unrelenting wrestling matches at the Tap Social Movement, which promises to thrill even the least athletically inclined.
Finally, for something completely different, the Oxford Poetry Library hosts its monthly open mic night This Is Just To Say on Tuesday. The event reliably fills to capacity, and it’s easy to see why: expect a night of dazzlingly diverse works, from the profound to the hilarious, and lyrical to prose poetry. The Oxford Poetry Library also regularly host writing workshops, which you can learn more about in our interview with the team on our blog.
Jumpin' Jake Flash: The New Club, Wheatley. Sat May 4th, 9pm. Free!
United Wrestling: Day 15: End of Days: Tap Social Movement. Sun May 5th, 5pm. Tickets from £16.98
This Is Just To Say: Oxford Poetry Library: Tue May 7th, 7.00pm (readings begin at 7.30pm) £5 cash on the door.
And Finally
If you’re a trans person looking to find community and learn a fun new skill in the process, Oxford Trans Social are teaming up with Abingdon Queer Action at The Venue next Sunday to run a boxing class by trans people, for trans people. The class is beginner friendly and for all ages, so don’t worry if this is your first time!
There will also be a binder swap held alongside the session, which is open to people of any gender identity or expression (though if you’re also boxing, it’s recommended you head to the swap before rather than after!). So get those gloves on!
Trans Boxing Class and Binder Swap: ARK-T at The Venue, 212b Barns Road, Cowley, Oxford, OX4 3RQ, Sunday 12th May, 2:30pm - 4:30pm. Free (donations welcome).
Image credits: ATG Entertainment, The Ashmolean Museum, The Oxford Poetry Library, Abingdon Queer Action